The Valheim public-test branch is where Iron Gate ships upcoming patches before they reach the live game. Opting in lets you preview new content, test mods against an unreleased build, or help report bugs before a release goes stable. But there is a catch that trips up almost everyone: getting onto the beta is a two-part job. You have to switch both your game client and your dedicated server onto the same branch, and the standard public-test branch is gated behind an access code. Mismatch the two and you simply cannot connect.
This guide walks through the entire process: opting the client into public-test through Steam’s Betas tab, switching a dedicated server to the public-test branch with SteamCMD (including the access code and the dedicated-server app ID), keeping client and server versions in lockstep, the real risks involved, and exactly how to revert to the default branch when you are done. Everything here is verified against current Early Access behaviour for Valheim in mid-2026 (the Ashlands-era 0.21x patch family, ahead of the Deep North + version 1.0 release dated September 9, 2026).
What the public-test branch actually is
Steam lets developers publish multiple “branches” of the same app. The default branch is the live, stable game everyone plays. The public-test branch is a separate, parallel build that Iron Gate uses to stage patches, balance changes, and new biome content for community testing before it is promoted to the live build. Because it is a real game build and not a stable release, it can contain bugs, balance quirks, or — in the worst case — issues that damage save files.
That risk is exactly why the standard public-test branch is code-gated. The access code Iron Gate has used for the public-test branch is literally yesimadebackups — a not-so-subtle reminder that you should back up your worlds before opting in. Some smaller, time-limited betas have occasionally appeared without a code, but the documented, reliable path for the standard public-test branch requires that code. If a guide tells you the beta is codeless, treat that as outdated.
Step 1: Back up your worlds first
Before you touch any branch settings, copy your world files somewhere safe. Each Valheim world is two files that share the world’s name:
WorldName.fwl— world metadata: the name, the seed, and configuration. This is where the seed lives.WorldName.db— world progress: terrain edits, buildings, chests, dropped items, and everything else that changes as you play.
On a self-hosted Windows client, worlds live in %USERPROFILE%/AppData/LocalLow/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/. On Linux it is ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds_local/. On a dedicated server they sit in a worlds_local (or worlds) folder under the server’s save directory, which you can override with the -savedir launch parameter. Copy both the .fwl and .db for every world you care about before switching branches. If a test build corrupts a save, this backup is your only safety net — that is the whole point of the yesimadebackups code.
Step 2: Opt the client into public-test on Steam
The client side is done entirely through the Steam UI — no command line needed. Here is the exact sequence:
- In your Steam library, right-click Valheim and choose Properties.
- Open the Betas tab.
- In the Beta access code box, enter
yesimadebackupsand click Check Code. This unlocks the gated branch. - Open the beta dropdown and select public-test.
- Close the window. Steam will download the public-test build automatically.
Once the download finishes, Valheim’s library entry will usually show a [public-test] tag next to the name, confirming you are on the beta. You are now running the test client. The next step — if you play multiplayer — is making sure whatever server you connect to is on the matching branch.
If you are a Game Pass / Xbox app player, the Steam Betas tab does not exist for you; the public-test branch is a Steam feature, so you will need the Steam version of the game to participate.
Step 3: Switch the dedicated server to public-test via SteamCMD
The dedicated server is a separate Steam app from the game itself. The key numbers to know:
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Dedicated server app ID | 896660 |
| Game (client) app ID | 892970 |
| Public-test branch flag | -beta public-test |
| Beta password / access code | yesimadebackups |
| Live (current public) branch flag | -beta public |
To update or install the server on the public-test branch, run SteamCMD with the beta and beta-password flags pointed at the dedicated server app ID:
steamcmd +force_install_dir "path/to/valheim-server" +login anonymous +app_update 896660 -beta public-test -betapassword yesimadebackups validate +exitA few things to read carefully in that command. The +app_update 896660 targets the dedicated-server app, not the game. The -beta public-test and -betapassword yesimadebackups pair is what unlocks and selects the gated branch — both are required together. validate verifies the install integrity, which is worth keeping when you switch branches because branch changes re-download a different build. Run this once and your server binaries are on the test branch.
There is an important gotcha here that emerged from late 2024 onward: the anonymous-login download of the Valheim dedicated server via SteamCMD has been restricted, and ownership of the game may now be required. If +login anonymous fails to pull the build, you may need to log into SteamCMD with an account that owns Valheim instead of using anonymous. This is a moving target, so if the anonymous pull stops working, that ownership requirement is the first thing to check.
If you run a managed Valheim host rather than your own box, branch switching is usually exposed as a setting in the control panel rather than a raw SteamCMD command — but the underlying mechanic (app 896660 + the public-test branch + the password) is identical. Our Valheim server documentation covers the panel-side equivalents for save directories, world names, and branch handling.
Step 4: Match client and server versions
This is the single most common failure point, so it deserves its own section. The client and the server must be on the same branch and the same build version. A public-test client cannot reliably join a live (default-branch) server, and a live client cannot join a public-test server. The connection will fail or refuse outright.
So the rule is simple: if you put your dedicated server on public-test, every player who wants to connect must also opt their client into public-test using the Steam Betas steps above. There is no partial compatibility — both sides have to match. When a new test patch lands, both the client (via Steam, which auto-updates the branch) and the server (via re-running the SteamCMD update command) need to pull the new build before they will talk to each other again.
If players report they cannot connect after a test update, the cause is almost always a version skew: the server updated but a client did not, or vice versa. Re-run the SteamCMD update on the server and have each player restart Steam so the client pulls the latest test build.
Step 5: Revert to the default branch
When the test is over — or if a test build is too unstable to enjoy — going back to the live game is straightforward on both sides.
Reverting the client
Right-click Valheim → Properties → Betas, then set the beta dropdown back to None. Steam will re-download the live build. Done.
Reverting the server
Re-run your SteamCMD update, but pin the live branch explicitly instead of public-test:
steamcmd +force_install_dir "path/to/valheim-server" +login anonymous +app_update 896660 -beta public validate +exitExplicitly setting -beta public matters: some hosts have hit a bug where the server auto-loads the public-test build unintentionally. Naming the branch you want — rather than just dropping the beta flag and hoping — avoids that ambiguity. After reverting, restore your backed-up .fwl and .db files if a test build altered them, and your world is back on the stable game.
Risks you are accepting by opting in
The public-test branch is not a finished product. By design, you are accepting these risks:
- Instability and bugs. Test builds can crash, behave oddly, or have unbalanced content that gets changed before release.
- Save corruption. The most serious risk — a test build can damage a world’s
.db. Theyesimadebackupscode exists precisely because this can happen. Always keep an off-branch backup. - Mod breakage. If you run BepInEx mods, a public-test build will frequently break them, because mods are compiled against specific game versions. Expect to disable or update mods when on a test build.
- Connectivity friction. Every player has to opt in too, and a single skipped update breaks multiplayer until everyone re-syncs.
If you are running mods alongside the beta, it is often cleanest to temporarily run vanilla while testing. The simplest verified way to do that is to rename the BepInEx folder (for example to Disabled BepInEx), which disables the whole framework without deleting anything — see our walkthrough on disabling Valheim BepInEx mods for the full method. When you are ready to test mods against the new build, our guide to installing mods on a dedicated Valheim server covers re-enabling them cleanly.
Why a true dedicated server makes beta testing easier
Testing an unstable build is exactly the scenario where hosting choices show their seams. A true dedicated server runs 24/7 independent of any player’s client, gives you control over the underlying RAM, CPU, and storage, and lets you switch branches, back up worlds, and restart at will. That independence is valuable when a test build is flaky — you can roll the server forward and back on its own schedule without it being tied to your gaming PC being switched on.
Slot-based hosting, by contrast, prices by player count rather than raw resources, and slots don’t drive Valheim’s performance — RAM and CPU clock speed do. Worse, slot plans sometimes restrict config or mod access, which is precisely the access you need when branch-switching and back-up management are the whole task. Valheim’s server loop is largely single-threaded, so CPU clock speed matters more than core count, and a low-clock CPU (below roughly 3.0 GHz) is a known cause of rubber-banding. If you want full control of branches, world files, and restarts for beta testing, a resource-based plan like our high-performance Valheim hosting gives you the headroom and config access the slot model often hides. For the deeper trade-off, see our breakdown of dedicated vs slots hosting for Valheim.
Quick reference
| Task | How |
|---|---|
| Back up a world | Copy WorldName.fwl + WorldName.db from worlds_local |
| Opt client into beta | Properties → Betas → enter yesimadebackups → select public-test |
| Switch server to beta | SteamCMD +app_update 896660 -beta public-test -betapassword yesimadebackups |
| Revert client | Properties → Betas → set branch to None |
| Revert server | SteamCMD +app_update 896660 -beta public |
| Connect | Client and server must be on the same branch + version |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Valheim public-test beta access code?
The access code for the standard public-test branch is yesimadebackups. You enter it in the Beta access code box on Steam’s Betas tab (Valheim → Properties → Betas) and click Check Code, which then lets you select public-test from the dropdown. On the dedicated server you supply the same string as the -betapassword yesimadebackups flag in SteamCMD. The code doubles as a warning: back up your worlds first. Occasionally a smaller short-lived beta appears without a code, but the standard public-test branch uses this one.
How do I put my Valheim dedicated server on the public-test branch?
Run SteamCMD against the dedicated-server app ID 896660 with the beta flags: +app_update 896660 -beta public-test -betapassword yesimadebackups validate. That downloads the test build of the server binaries. Then make sure every connecting player also switches their client to public-test, because the branches must match. On a managed host, the same outcome is usually a dropdown or branch setting in the control panel. Note that since late 2024, anonymous SteamCMD downloads of the Valheim server may require game ownership, so log in with an owning account if anonymous fails.
Why can’t my client connect to the public-test server?
Almost always a version mismatch. A public-test client cannot join a live-branch server, and a live client cannot join a public-test server — they have to be on the same branch and the same build number. When a new test patch lands, the server has to re-pull the update via SteamCMD and each player has to let Steam download the new client build. If one side updated and the other didn’t, the connection fails. Re-run the server update, restart Steam on every client, and confirm both show the same build before trying again.
How do I get off the public-test branch and back to the live game?
On the client, open Properties → Betas and set the dropdown back to None; Steam re-downloads the live build. On the server, re-run SteamCMD with -beta public explicitly (+app_update 896660 -beta public validate) rather than just removing the flag — naming the live branch avoids a known bug where servers auto-load the test build. After reverting, restore your backed-up .fwl and .db files if needed.
Will the public-test beta corrupt or break my save?
It can. Test builds are unstable by nature and may contain bugs that affect or corrupt the world .db file. That is exactly why the access code is yesimadebackups. Before opting in, copy both files for each world (WorldName.fwl and WorldName.db) somewhere outside the live folders. If a test build damages a save, restoring those backups after reverting to the default branch is your recovery path. Never run the only copy of an important world on a beta branch.
Do BepInEx mods work on the public-test branch?
Usually not without updates. BepInEx plugins are compiled against specific game versions, so a fresh public-test build commonly breaks them until mod authors release compatible versions. The cleanest approach is to run vanilla while testing — rename the BepInEx folder to disable the framework entirely — and re-enable mods once they are updated for the new build. Remember that for gameplay mods, the same plugins at compatible versions must be installed on both the server and every client, or you will get connection failures and desync on top of the branch-matching requirement.
Wrapping up
Installing the Valheim public test beta comes down to four disciplines: back up your worlds first, opt the client in through Steam’s Betas tab with the yesimadebackups code, switch the dedicated server to the public-test branch on app ID 896660 via SteamCMD with the matching beta password, and keep both sides on the same build so they can actually connect. When you are finished, reverting is a single dropdown change on the client and a one-line -beta public SteamCMD update on the server. Treat every test build as disposable, keep your backups handy, and the beta branch becomes a low-risk way to preview what is coming to Valheim next.
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